


Dancing With Our Hands Tied

by xxbettysgirlxx



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Chic and Jug are best friends, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Forbidden Love, Protective Older Brothers, some smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 07:14:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15925508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxbettysgirlxx/pseuds/xxbettysgirlxx
Summary: What's meant to be will always find a way.





	Dancing With Our Hands Tied

Life felt like a dream when his arms were wrapped around her waist as they sat under the large willow tree near Sweetwater river. It’s long branches swayed as the wind made them dance through the air. Music filled the comfortable silence that rested between two young lovers. Betty sat tucked into Jughead’s side with her head resting on his chest. The fabric of the blanket below them was softly woven and beautiful shades of purples, pinks, and blues. It reminded Betty of the sunset. It was mid-July and the air was hot and humid, but under the willow tree it was much cooler. The shade gave them shelter from the sun's harsh heat. 

 

She breathed in his cologne and smiled to herself. His fingers were interlocked with hers and he brought her hand up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand. The butterflies in her stomach never seemed to stay in their cage when he was around her. She had always told herself that she wouldn’t be the hopeless romantic type or that she wouldn’t fall for the flowers or gushy one-liners. However, Betty ended up falling hard for all of those things. She remembered the first night. He had somehow climbed up the side of her house and knocked on her window and scared her half to death. With flowers in hand, he clumsily got his lanky body through the window and with shaking hands professed his feelings to her. With a loss for words and wide eyes, Betty lunged forward crashing their lips together. Their kiss was blissful. As quickly as it began, it ended. His smile was cocky and wicked and her heart swooned. He made a promise to her that their first date was when he would sweep her off her feet and give her a night that she would never forget. With that, she watched him climb out her window and prayed that her older brother wouldn’t find out that she was head over heels for his lifelong best friend. 

  
The feelings she had for Jughead had always been buried deep under the surface. With the striking contrast of his olive skin, striking blue eyes, and dark hair she would be crazy not to have a crush on him. Whenever she hung around Jughead and her brother Chic, he was mysterious. His banter was cocky and full of wit. His eyes would sparkle and when Chic wasn’t looking he’d wink at her. She had convinced herself that he would flirt with her out of pity or as an act of kindness because she was his best friend’s geeky little sister. He quickly changed her mind as they passionately made out on the couch in her living room while her parents and brother were out at work. The way he made her moan and squirm was breathtaking and addictive. She could never seem to get enough of his kiss or touch. He made her feel different. He made her feel comfortable while they fooled around and he encouraged her to explore what she liked. Any other guy she had been with made her feel uncomfortable and never seemed to ask about how she was feeling or where she wanted him. Betty was lucky to have found herself with a man like Jughead.   
  
“This is real, ya know.” He broke their silence as they watched the calming current of the river.   
  
Betty grinned and looked up at him, “I know. I’d like to hope you weren’t using me for sex.”   
  
Jughead smirked, “How could I use you for something we haven’t done?”   
  
She laughed into his chest and hoped her face wasn’t as red as it felt, “I may not be a virgin, but I want it to be special between us... Not just some fling.”   
  
Jughead looked down at her in shock, “Betty... this isn’t some fling. Do you really think I’d use you like that?”   
  
“Trevor Brown tried to.” She shrugged as she watched over his different facial expressions and ticks.   
  
“Well, he is a fucking asshole and you’re lucky you stopped me before I tore his head off. I swear, you deserve to be treated like a queen. Anyone who treats you less will never deserve someone as amazing as you.” He fumed as he picked at the grass beside them angrily. 

  
“Thank you, Jughead.” She tried to get his attention, but he stayed focused on the ground. “Babe, I know you have a rough history with Trevor… but ignore what he said about you.” She turned his face and cupped his cheek, “You’re not Southside Trash. You’re not worthless. You’re full of potential just waiting to be unlocked and anyone who tells you differently can deal with me.”   
  
With his heart full, he laughed. “Baby, no offense, but you’re not intimidating.” He placed a kiss on her pouting lips, “And I’ll start ignoring Trevor, but just because you asked me to,” He kissed her forehead, “And because I love how passionate you are for the ones you care about,” He placed a final kiss on her nose.   
  
She grinned, “You don’t think it’s too much? Ethel says I need to learn to shut my mouth because it’ll get me in trouble.”   
  
“I believe her, but I don’t think you should change,” He played with the seam on her shorts waistband. “I just don’t think you need to pick fights.”   
  
She rolled her eyes, “Chuck Clayton had it coming. He spread rumors about Midge and said nasty things about Cheryl. He’s scum.” She shrugged innocently, “He deserved a kick in the nuts.”   
  
Jughead laughed until his side was cramping and tears were watering in his eyes, “You’re exquisite.” He was breathless. “What are we going to do when we leave to go back to school?”

 

Betty shook her head, “Can we not talk about that?” Her voice was hesitant and nervous as all the negative outcomes began to swirl in her mind.

 

Jughead sighed, “Betts, you keep avoiding the question, but you leave for New York next weekend and then I go to California the weekend after that… our time together is running low.”

 

Betty sighed and took her hair out of her ponytail before running it through her golden locks nervously, “I just don’t want this to end. I mean, us spending almost every day together? That’s what I’ve loved about this summer. Not my family’s trip to North Dakota. Not my reunion with Veronica. It was every day being a new adventure with you.”

 

Jughead bit his lip and studied her face for a moment before kissing her briefly. She kissed back and cupped the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her body so their chests were flush. Before they could get too distracted, Betty broke them apart but allowed her hands to linger above the button of his jeans. “Facetime me once a week at the least, all right?”

 

“What should I tell Chic?” He smirked while he watched her hand teasingly dip below his jeans.

 

She smiled and held her bottom lip between her teeth, “Probably not that you’re planning on doing his little sister.”    
  
He laughed and took her hand away from the button of his pants and placed a chaste kiss the top of her hand before he laid back on the blanket and placed his head in her lap while looking up into her striking, emerald eyes. She blushed, “Where did you tell Chic you were going?”   
  
“I told him I was taking JB on a hike for Nature Scouts. He tried to come so I had to lie and tell him she wouldn’t be able to focus because she has a crush on him.” He casually rubbed her knee, “What about you?”

 

“I told him I was going to the library to study for my Humanities class at NYU,” Betty sighed, “I feel bad lying to him… Maybe if we tell him, he’ll understand and be okay with us seeing one another.” 

 

Jughead sat up and shook his head insistently, “Baby, if we tell him… Chic will be so pissed, not just because we kept a secret from him, but because he and I made a pact to never date each other’s siblings. He was never going to bat an eye towards my sister and I was to never even look in your direction. I mean, he and I have been friends since diapers and are about to start our third year of college together in California. ” He looked at her and unconsciously licked his lips, “I feel awful about all of this, trust me. I… I am betraying my best friend and it’s eating me alive, but you make me so happy. I have fallen so hard for you.”

 

His soft, vulnerable eyes bore into hers as she whispered, “I’ve fallen hard for you too, Jug.” 

 

His glance fell onto her lips and his slowly leaned into her and she immediately kissed back, never wanting to forget the feeling of his lips on hers. Soon their innocent, promise-filled kiss became more heated as she straddled his waist. His hands gripped her hips as their tongues explored each other’s mouths and their moans became lost in the wind. One of his hands became tangled in her hair while the other began to massage her breast and make her curse his name as he carefully flipped them so he was hovering above her. While she laid below him, one hand cupped his jaw as the other made its way up his shirt and began to trace his happy trail and teasingly dip into the waistband of his shorts. Their breathing was becoming choppy as their hips were beginning to rock into each other in an effort to relieve the tension that was building up in their cores. Betty quickly took off her shirt and tossed it away into the nearby grass and Jughead did the same. He gently sucked under her earlobe and began to nip and lick his way down her neck while he played with her peaked nipple under her bra. She was panting his name as she gripped his hair and rolled her hips up in hope of finding friction, but found no such release. As his hand started to dip below the fabric of her shorts and began to massage her clit, a loud voice broke them from their lust filled trance.

 

“What the fuck are you doing to my sister, Jones?!” Chic’s angry voice echoed through the trees. The couple bolted up and parted from each other. Jughead helped cover Betty’s bare upper body while he assisted her in grabbing her t-shirt.

 

Chic was drenched in sweat and dressed in running shorts, Betty had forgotten that the hidden nook they were in was on his usual running trail. Her face was beet red from embarrassment, “Look… Chic-”

 

Chic cut her off with an icy tone that made Betty’s heart stop, “Go home, Betty. I need to have a talk with Jughead.”

 

Betty gulped and looked up at Jughead. He nodded to her and reassuringly squeezed her hand, “Take the car home, babe. I’ll be fine.” He handed her the keys and she hesitantly left. Jughead and Chic watched in silence as she drove in the direction of her home.

 

Once her car was around the corner, Chic’s eyes focused back on Jughead. “What the hell, Jughead? We made a pact! We made each other a promise!” His jaw was clenched as the memory of his best friends hand sliding down his little sister’s shorts replayed in his head. He shook the image from his mind, “You can’t just use her and throw her away like your others girls!”

 

Jughead sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “Chic, I promise, it was not what it looked like. It’s more than just a one-time thing-”

 

Chic saw red as he took a step forward, “You mean there have been multiple times?!”

 

Jughead quickly put his hands up in surrender, “No, no- We haven’t- I mean, there has been more than one occurrence of us being together, but I swear I wasn’t planning on throwing her to the curb! I actually really like her…”

 

“That’s what you said about Lexi, Sarah, and Dawn and then two weeks later they were left on the side, brokenhearted while you went onto the next girl. Look, Jug, I love you. You are my best friend, but I have seen the way you treat the women you date and my sister deserves better.” The poison spilled from his lips, making Jughead flinch at the harsh words.

 

“She’s different, dude, I promise, I actually care about her.” Jughead tried to protest, but could tell it was useless, “I love her.” 

 

Chic shook his head, “You know where I stand. If you date her, it will ruin our friendship. I mean, how are you not putting that together?!” He ran a hand over his face in stress, “If you two fight, I cannot give any advice, I can’t take a side. I can’t listen to you about your dates or what base you went to.” Jughead tried to protest, but Chic cut him off, “If you two end up breaking up then I would most likely have to stop being friends with you.”

 

Jughead shook his head with a sigh, “No, you wouldn’t-”

 

Chic nodded his head, “Yeah, Jughead, I would. My family comes first. You have been my best friend since kindergarten, but Betty is my blood. I’m sorry, but I’m putting my foot down and saying no and telling you to stay away from my sister.” Jughead stayed silence as the words sunk in, “I’m going back home. If I catch you around my sister again then you can find yourself a new roommate and new best friend.”

 

Chic turned and took off the other way, leaving Jughead alone in the dust and with his thoughts.

 

***

 

Betty laid in her room with a cup of tea in her shaky hands as she attempted to calm her thoughts after a heated debate with Chic. She had tried to reason with him, but he turned every possible defense of hers away. Betty wasn’t sure how to say goodbye to Jughead, but it seemed like there wasn’t any other choice. She had to end this. After sneaking around with him for three blissful months, she couldn’t believe that her brother had sent them crumbling. Betty had figured that things would have gotten rocky after Jughead went back to California and she left to New York for school, but she felt that they could have made it work.

 

She felt the mound of tears in her chest begin to build up and attempt to burst while her breath began to quicken. Betty put her tea down and began to silently sob into her hands, the stress and anxiety finally breaking her. She was too caught up in the overwhelming panic attack to notice Jughead climb through her window. He picked her up and held her close to his chest as he whispered reassuringly into her ear, “Baby, baby, you have to breathe. Your panic attacks always trigger your asthma.” He kissed her temple, “It’s okay, I’m here. I got you, I’m here for you.” 

 

She nodded and reached over to her bedside table and carefully inhaled two puffs of medication from her inhaler. After she caught her breath she questioned him, “Jug, what the hell are you doing here? You know Chic is home!”

 

He made sure her breathing was steady before he sat them on her window seat that looked out the neighborhood and onto the sunset, “Look at how beautiful the sky is today. The oranges and pinks and purples are illuminating the sky, just for you.”

 

Betty bite her lip as she watched the suns beautiful colors paint the sky and made her heart lighten, “Why is something so beautiful happening on such a sad day?”

 

Jughead kissed her forehead and his voice was raw with emotion, “To show you that there is always beauty somewhere…” His voice cracked, “Even on a rotten day like this one.”

 

Betty looked up from his chest and saw the tears spilling down his face while the sun's radiant glow highlighted all of his features, putting a beautiful twist on something gut-wrenching. In the three months of dating him, she had never seen him without a smile on his face. To see the raw, sensitive emotion on his face made a tear fall onto her cheeks. He quickly wiped his face, “I’m sorry all of this happened… Maybe I should have told him earlier-”

 

Betty cut him off with her lips crashing onto his. The sweet, innocent passion was a reassuring act of love, “This past summer has turned out the be the best time of my life. You have helped me to grow as a person and challenged me to become better than I was.” Her lip wobbled as she cupped his face and her thumb loving traced his cheekbone, “I have so much to thank you for, but it doesn’t seem like we have enough time.”

 

Jughead shakily released a breath, “Baby, I wish this didn’t have to end. I want it to be you, me, and the sunset forever…” He looked nervous to be speaking so vulnerably.

 

“May-maybe fate has a plan… Maybe it’s just not right now, but maybe we’ll have a future.” Her voice was raw and wavering as she watched the sunset from the comfort of his lap.

 

He nodded while he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and watched ahead, “Yeah, maybe we will.”

 

***

 

“Good morning, Ms. Lodge and Ms. Cooper. It is currently 9:18 and a beautiful 76 degrees this morning. The crew and I hope you enjoy your stay in the sunny state of California!” The pilot's gruff voice echoed over the plane’s speakers as the aircraft began its descent.

 

Betty slowly pulled off her sleeping mask as the captain awoke she and her best friend while announcing the weather and time in the lovely state of California. To her right, her best friend, Veronica Lodge, was already awake and looked fresh and brand new. Her beautiful raven hair was subtly waving perfectly onto her shoulders and looked absurdly amazing for just enduring a seven-hour flight. 

 

Betty laughed, “V, did you change out of your pjs?” When they had arrived on the flight, Veronica had been wearing a silk matching pajama set. Now she was dressed in her usual business get up. “And put makeup on?”

 

“Well, of course! I brought clothes along. I can’t be meeting your brother and his fiancee in my pjs!” Veronica smiled and neatly put her collection of magazines into her Louis Vuitton bag that she had brought with her onto the plane. 

 

She grinned, “But, you’ve met then both before and on multiple occasions.”

 

Veronica waved away the comment, “Do you mean our wedding planning FaceTime sessions? That is over a phone. I want their first physical impression of me to be superb. I mean, I can’t have them thinking they hired a total unorganized slob to help plan their special day!” 

 

“With your weekly wedding updates, I don’t think they would dare to think that,” she laughed.

 

Once the plane had landed, Veronica stood up grabbed her carry on and smoothed out her skirt and blouse, “Ready, B? You can change before we get off the plane if you’d like”

 

Betty snapped out of her tired daze and threw her variety of mystery novels and biographies into her backpack and slung it over her shoulder, “Yeah, sure, why not?” She knew there was no point in arguing. Betty grabbed her carry on from it’s designated closet and shuffled through her casual wear that she had packed for the trip. She changed in less than five minutes and as she walked out the bathroom, she yawned, “Remind me to send your parents a collection of flowers as thank you for them letting us use their private jet.”

 

Veronica brushed Betty’s statement aside, “Oh, Betty, you don’t have to thank them. They love you, in fact, they think of you as a second daughter!” 

 

“If they think of me like a daughter, where’s my spot in the Lodge Fortune?” Betty joked. Veronica laughed and playfully rolled her eyes. Her nude heels clicked forward as she bid the flight attendants and the rest of the crew farewell. If someone merely glanced at Betty and Veronica they wouldn’t put together that the two girls were basically inseparable at the hip. The feisty brunette was dressed in a finely pressed, loose creme blouse that exposed a hint of cleavage while tucked into her recently steam-cleaned, fitted pencil skirt that hit right above her knee. Her makeup was sharp and breathtaking, that and the rest of her attire making Veronica seem much more intimidating than she truly was. Betty’s blonde mane was combed back into a neat, wispy bun and she was a dressed in a worn-in pair of overalls with a comfy white T-shirt underneath. Her makeup was nonexistent and she made it her goal to be as comfortable as possible in the heat of California. She followed after Veronica in an old pair of converse as they waited alongside their bags at the pick up terminal.

 

To the outside looking in, Betty may seem shy or timid compared to her spitfire of a best friend, but in reality, the two girls were each outspoken in their own ways. Veronica was business minded and knew how to get any deal while Betty had a heart full of compassion and dedication to anything she sought after. Veronica encouraged Betty to quit her job as an assistant and go after her dream as a New York Times news editor and Betty helped Veronica to break up with her longtime boyfriend and explore herself and her wants. Together the two girls pushed each other to do their best in any aspect of life and helped to catch the other when they would fall.

 

“So,” Veronica broke Betty from her thoughts, “I have everything organized for this weekend. We’re here for four days and I have packed a total of ten various outfits for each of us.” 

 

Betty looked at her confused as she waved for their Uber, “Wait, I thought I packed my bag? There aren’t that many.”

 

Veronica shamelessly smiled while they packed their several bags into the trunk of their Uber, “I repacked it for you. You packed really blah clothes, you deserve a weekend to look like the young, hottie you are.”

 

Betty froze and glared at her, “Veronica Lodge, you know exactly why I cannot dress scandalously this weekend. You  _ know  _ who will be at the wedding and around me 24/7! And you know I just got over him, I don’t want to fall back into that hole.”

 

They got into the car, “I know, I know, I just ship you two so hard! Plus, Reggie bailed on you this weekend so I figure this is the perfect time to get with Jughead!”

 

Betty groaned and ran her hand over her face in exasperation, “I thought you said you’d stop putting Reggie down like that! You know I care about him.”

 

Veronica huffed and pulled a nail filer out of her purse as she sassed, “Fine. If you call only having sex once a month and him degrading you a committed, caring relationship then I hope I too can find it one day.” She sarcastically swooned.

 

Betty rolled her eyes and sighed, “Fine, look, Ron, I know things between he and I have been rocky recently, but I needed to get back out there and stop thinking about Jughead. I mean, it’s been almost three years since I’ve seen him. These past five months with Reggie have been just fine… He and I are just in a rut right now, we’ve hit a rough spot.”

 

Veronica muttered, “I’ll tell you what spot he isn’t hitting…”

 

Betty gasped and playfully smacked Veronica with her book until the two of them were both giggling, “V, that is not funny and you said you wouldn’t tell anyone that!” Betty realized the poor Uber driver had been forced to listen to their whole conversation, “Sir, I am so sorry about her… too many cocktails on the plane.”

 

He kept his eyes forward and simply stated, “I hope he learns what spot to hit.”

 

Veronica burst out laughing and Betty could have sworn her face was on fire and wished the car ride could have ended right then and there.

 

***

 

While Betty took her time in the guest shower of her brother’s house, Veronica and Chic’s fiancee, Valerie, sat in the breakfast nook discussing the upcoming plans for the weekend. Veronica pulled her large, color coated binder out of her backpack and laid it out on the table. “Are you sure you still want Jughead and Betty to be the maid and man of honor? Is Chic okay with it?”

 

Valerie waved her hesitation away, “Chic thinks that Jughead and Betty are going to be separated and only around each other when walking down the aisle during the ceremony, but like you and I discussed, that is far from the truth.”

 

“Are you sure Chic will be okay with this? From what Betty told me, he’ll have a heart attack.” Veronica raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

 

Valerie sighed and took a sip of her caramel-colored coffee that reflected the unique color of her skin, “He will be once he sees how unhappy Jughead and Betty are with their significant others. Chic has grown up a lot and Jughead has as well. This time it will work.”

 

Veronica grinned, “I’m in. I’m so sick of her douchey boyfriend polluting our living space. What’s the plan?”

 

Valerie's smile dropped slightly, “Yeah, about that… I don’t have one. I say we distract Chic as much as possible and just let them naturally gravitate towards one another.”

 

“Wait, you don’t have a plan?” Veronica put down her coffee, “Val, these two have been warned on multiple occasions that if they are to romantically interact then there would be severe consequences. Letting them ‘naturally gravitate towards one another’ may not be as easy as it sounds.”

 

Valerie thought for a moment, “Tonight at the rehearsal dinner let’s get them alone. There will be enough people to distract Chic and you and I can make sure that they bump into each other.”

 

A knock on the door interrupted the two. Valerie rose from their table and looked through the peephole then back at Veronica, “Holy shit! Fate must be working alongside us.” Veronica looked confused until Valerie opened the door, “Hey, Jughead, it’s so nice to see you! C’mon in!”

 

Jughead looked surprised at Valerie's enthusiasm, “Uh, hey Val, it’s nice to see you too. Did you get laid last night or something? You seem to be super hyper right now.” 

 

Valerie’s cheeks blushed as she smacked his shoulder, “None of your business! And I’m just excited because I’m getting married tomorrow! Are you excited?”

 

Jughead chuckled and ran a hand through his wet hair, “Yeah, I’m pretty excited for you and Chic.” Veronica carefully inspected Jughead from across the room. He looked at her, feeling her eyes burning holes in the back of his head, “Have we met before? You look familiar…” He offered his hand out to her for a shake. 

 

Veronica simply smiled and firmly shook his hand, “Maybe briefly in passing, my name is Veronica Lodge. You must be the infamous Jughead Jones.” She noticed his eyebrows subtly raise in shock as he recalled the multiple conversations he had with Betty about Veronica all those summers ago. He remembered how excited Betty was to get back and share a dorm the New Yorker once again.

 

He flashed his signature panty-dropping smile, “Well, Veronica it is a pleasure to meet you. Are you a guest at the wedding?”

 

She smiled as she realized why Betty wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. His aura was alluring and when you looked into his eyes it made your knees turn to jello. “I’m actually the wedding planner, the brains behind the whole production.”

 

“You’ll love Ronnie, she has been such a big help to Chic and I while we’ve been planning this whole thing. She’s very talented at what she does.” Valerie assured him.

 

Jughead grinned, “I can’t wait to see what she has come up with.”

 

“Do you want any coffee?” Val offered to him as she walked back to the kitchen.

 

“Sure, why not?” Jughead took his shoes off and followed the two of them.

 

“So, what brings you over?” Veronica inquired as she adjusted her glasses and began to organize the piles of papers on the table in front of her.

 

Jughead shrugged casually, “Nothing really, I was up early and decided to go surfing and just finished up. I wanted to see if Chic wanted to grab lunch or something.”

 

“He’s getting lunch with Betty today, bud.” Val handed him a cup filled with coffee and gave him a pat on the back. 

 

Jughead frowned for a second before Veronica smirked, “Wait, did you say you surf?”

 

He smiled casually and shrugged, “Yeah, I dabble.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table in front of him. “Why? Are you interested in trying it out?”

 

Veronica shook her head recognizing that he was a natural flirt, “Not me, but a friend of mine may.”

 

“Oh, really? Who?” He took a sip of his coffee

 

Almost as if on queue, Betty came down the stairs in her towel and dripping hair, “Ron, you forgot to bring up my bags-” Betty froze when she saw the ghost from her past.

 

Jughead almost spit out his coffee at the sight of Betty in a skimpy wet towel. He quickly turned away from her and after a moment of awkward silence he uncomfortably chuckled and spoke up, “Uh, hey, Betty… It’s been a while.”

 

Betty opened her mouth to reply, but couldn’t seem to find the words. Instead of responding, she turned and sprinted up the stairs. Veronica sucked in and put her pen down, “Well… that’s an iconic reunion.” Jughead glared at her while Val stifled a laugh, “Well if you would excuse me, I’m going to bring her bags up and get a lecture of a lifetime.”

 

Veronica left the two of them and went to console her best friend. She gently knocked on the door, “Hey, babe, it’s Veronica… I have your bags.” She heard the door unlock and let herself in when the door didn’t budge. 

 

“I can’t believe you did that, V.” Betty paced around the room in her towel.

 

Veronica sighed, “I know, I’m sorry.” She picked up both bags and placed them on the bed. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know he was coming over, I swear.”

 

Betty ran a hand over her face, “God, this is so embarrassing! I haven’t seen him in forever and when I see him again, I am fucking naked!” She gnawed on her lips anxiously, “Chic can’t find out about this, V.”

 

Veronica nodded understandingly, “He won’t, I swear to you.” She unzipped Betty’s bags and began rummaging through them to help her pick out an outfit. “So, for the rehearsal dinner tonight I was thinking this black dress to show off those gorgeous, jaw-dropping legs of yours.”

 

Betty shook her head, “Nope, absolutely not.” She brushed her hair and began to run gel through it, “I am not dressing sexy. Jughead is here and I don’t want to provoke anything.”

 

Veronica bit her lip, “Betty, he might have a girlfriend now. I’m not too sure if you’re the main girl on his mind anymore… Plus, like you said, you have a boyfriend so obviously, Jughead isn’t your first priority anymore.” 

 

Betty stopped scrunching her hair and stood up straighter, “N-no, of course. You’re right. That was, um, selfish of me to assume that he still had feelings for me.” She sighed, “I mean, it’s been three years and we’ve become different people. I need to move on from the imaginary person I have made of him in my head. I mean, when he and I were hooking up I was just a sophomore in college and look at me now I’m ready to graduate in a semester and I have an amazing internship… I wonder what he’s up to,” she wondered out loud.

 

Veronica reassuringly rubbed Betty’s back, she could tell she had hurt Betty, “Maybe you should try talking to him this trip. Maybe all those feelings are gone and your anxiety is just getting in the way?”

 

Betty smiled slightly, “No, you’re right. I should try to catch up with him, I mean, it’s been forever since I’ve seen him. It must be the anxiety....”

 

Veronica grinned, “That’s the spirit! Now put some clothes on and pack that dress! We have to go to the reception site to start setting up soon. I’m pretty sure you, Val, and the rest of the bridal party will be getting ready there after we set up-” She stopped talking when she noticed Betty picking at her cuticles, “Do you want to get something off your chest?”

 

“You saw him right? It’s just…” Betty was silent for a moment before looking at Veronica with a serious look, “Why is he is fucking gorgeous, but I can’t have him?” She teared up, “Not just because he’s hot though, I mean, he turned around when he saw I was basically naked in front of him! Why is he so respectful!” She felt a few tears fall, “God, what a beautifully tanned, crystal blue-eyed, well mannered, considerate asshole!”

 

Veronica chuckled lightly, “B, you know he isn’t an asshole, you’re just mad because you… well, because you still like him.” Betty’s lip trembled and suddenly she was crying into her hands. Veronica’s heart broke as she hugged Betty close and realized it was true, “Oh, honey… what’s wrong?”

 

“I-I’m so nervous to see him… I just got over him and now I have to see-see him again?” She sobbed. “It’s just not fair…”

 

Veronica soothingly brushed her hand over her hair, “What’s not fair?”

 

Betty cried into Veronica’s shoulder, “Why couldn’t Chic just see how happy we were? We were so fucking happy, V…” She looked at her with tears dancing in her eyes, “I… I was so happy.”

 

Veronica teared up at the broken confession, knowing that Betty didn’t have a simple crush on Jughead. She was still in love with Jughead, “We’re going to figure this out, okay? Maybe you can talk to Chic?” 

 

She shook his head, “No, he hates Jug and me together. I can’t anger him before his wedding, I can’t do that to him or Val.” She released Veronica from the hug and wiped her tears then took a calming breath, “I’m just going to suck it up. I have for almost three years now, so I’m not going to let this bring me down.”

 

Veronica sighed, “Betty… That’s not healthy. You need to face this.”

 

She shook her head, “I can’t let Chic loose his best friend, Ron. I mean, we already lost our dad-“

 

“No, no, no, don’t bring that asshat into this. You didn’t lose your dad, he left you. He chose to walk out on your family because he’s a piece of scum. You can’t compare Jughead to your father.” She noticed Betty wince at her harsh tone, “Look, B, you know I want what’s best for you. In my opinion, it is not Reggie. Your brother, quite frankly, needs to grow a set and not be such a little bitch.”

 

Betty burst out laughing at Veronica’s frank statement, “V!”

 

Veronica grinned, “I mean it!” She took Betty’s hand, “You are not happy with Reggie and I think Chic needs to see that. So to make you feel better, I’ll stop bothering you about getting back with Jughead, but I think you need to have a conversation with your brother about how much it hurt you when he made you break up with Jughead.”

 

“That terrifies me,” she whispered as she wiped away any reminisce of tears from her cheeks and sniffled.

 

Veronica nodded and looked in her eyes, “But you wouldn’t be Betty Cooper if you didn’t at least try.”

 

Betty cracked a smile and pulled Veronica into a hug, “You’re amazing. Thank you for being there for me.”

 

Veronica wrapped her arms around Betty’s shoulders, “No problem, B. Now let’s get ready for tonight.”

 

Betty nodded, “I’m getting lunch with Chic so after I get back I’ll let you style my outfit and do whatever you want me my hair and makeup.”

 

Veronica beamed ear to ear, “Wait, really?!”

 

Betty laughed, “Yeah, I’ll be your Barbie doll for the day.”

 

Veronica threw her hands up in victory, “It’s a dream come true!” She laid back in the bed, “God has answered my prayers!”

 

Betty rolled her eyes playfully and hit her with a pillow as they both laughed.

 

***

 

The restaurant Chic had insisted on taking Betty to for lunch was relatively busy. After a quick five minute drive over then a twenty-minute wait, they were sat at a table for two outside a large window where they could watch the busy cars go by. As they sat at their table with their food, Betty remembered how much she missed seeing her brother.

 

“So, tell me about your classes. How many do you have coming up in your final year?” Chic asked as he continued to cut into his grilled chicken sandwich.

 

Betty swallowed the last bite of her hamburger, “I’m taking a few classes, but my counselor told me to focus on my internship because there is a high chance they’re looking to hire five out of the twenty in my group.”

 

Chic raises his eyebrows, “Wait, really? Betty that’s amazing, how high are your chances?”

 

Betty shrugged, “I’m not too sure. I’ve been working closely alongside the head of editing and she really enjoys my organization and work ethic.” Betty shyly smiled, “She’s actually allowing me to write an article and if it’s good enough it’ll be in the paper!”

 

Chic almost dropped his fork, “Betty, are you serious?! That’s fucking amazing! Why haven’t you been talking about this more? I mean, that’s impressive!”

 

Betty grinned, “I don’t like to brag about myself. Plus, none of it is official yet.”

 

Chic was beaming with pride, “You don’t know how proud I am of you. Seriously, Betty, what you’re doing is amazing.”

 

Betty blushed, “Thank you.”

 

“What about this guy that you’ve been seeing? Mom mentioned it was getting serious.” He playfully rolled his eyes. The waitress came by and politely handed them their receipt and to go boxes, Chic thanked her.

 

Betty scoffed at the thought of a serious relationship with Reggie and shook her head, “Uh, not really. We’ve been dating for about five months and I’m still not too sure about him.”

 

Chic raised his eyebrows and focused on her, “So, I’m guessing we won’t be meeting him anytime soon?”

 

“He wanted to come to the wedding, but he is caught up in a work event all weekend.” She packed up her salad, “He’s a nice guy though, maybe you can meet him when you visit during Christmas.”

 

“Wait, a work event during the weekend?” Chic looked skeptical.

 

Betty shrugged, “Yeah, he said it would interfere.”

 

“Does he often work on the weekends?”

 

Betty nodded, “Yeah, it seems like it.” 

 

Chic looked uneasy as his immediate thought was that Reggie was being unfaithful to Betty. He shook the feeling and tried not to judge a guy he didn’t know. They both got up and made their way to the front. Chic insisted on paying and after a minute of debating, Betty finally gave up. They got out to his car and Chic started the car and they began the short drive back to his house, “So, why are you dating this guy if you’re unhappy?”

 

“Who says I’m unhappy?” She asked, looking everywhere but at him.

 

“You do. It’s written all over your face.”

 

Betty groaned, “Look, I’m getting old and I haven’t found anybody…”

 

“You’re barely 22, you’re not that old,” he assured her. “I mean, you never gave into mom’s speech about getting married young. Why are you questioning yourself now?”

 

She sighed as they entered his neighborhood, “I guess I just needed to move on from Jughead and so I dipped my toe into the dating pool again and found Reggie.”

 

“Move on from Jughead?” Chic looked confused, “But it was just a fling, right? Did it really mean that much to you?”

 

Betty nodded solemnly. They pulled into the driveway and her voice was soft and sad. “It meant a lot to him too… Have you ever even talked to him about it? Or me?”

 

Chic opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by their mother tapping on Betty’s window and waving excitedly. He sighed as she opened the door, “My son is getting married tomorrow!”

 

Betty winced at her mother's loud, high tone, “Yeah, mom, we know.” She was annoyed that an important conversation that she had been dying to have with her brother had been interrupted.

 

Alice looked at her daughter in surprise, “Well, excuse me for being excited. I won’t be watching you go down the altar for another five years!”

 

Betty ran a hand through her hair, “Oh, God.”

 

Alice nodded, “Yeah, that’s how I feel when l hear you’re not bringing Reggie out to family events or feeling like he’s the right guy.”  Alice Cooper was a strong headed woman with opinions that trumped everyone else's feelings. She was an authoritative mother who raised both Betty and Chic on her own when Hal Cooper walked out of her front door when Chic was 8 years old and Betty only 5. Alice strived for the best. Unfortunately, that pressure was sometimes pushed onto her children in hopes of helping them do their best in school and any extracurricular that they were involved in, making both Betty and Chic anxiety-ridden control freaks throughout high school.

 

Chic groaned, “Can we not get into this right now? I want this visit to start off with happy memories.”

 

Alice nodded, “Of course.” She looked at Betty, “I’m sorry, dear. Now let’s all go inside and get ready to set up!”

 

Betty followed them in, wishing her conversation hadn’t been interrupted and trying to figure out when she should bring it up again.

 

***

 

“You look so hot… I wish I was wearing that!” Val exclaimed as she gawked at Betty’s dress, “I never knew your boobs were so amazing. Like damn Jughead was lucky.”

 

Betty coughed on her water and frowned. “Or, my current boyfriend, Reggie, is lucky.” 

 

Val shrugged, “I know, I know. I just saw the way Jughead was looking at you while we were setting up and I thought it was really sweet.”

 

Betty froze for a moment and hated how her heartbeat quickened. She tried to act nonchalant, “Oh. He was looking at me? In, um, what way? ”

 

Val almost felt bad for trying to sabotage Betty’s relationship with Reggie. Almost. She had seen them over Facetime together many times and had never been impressed. He would talk down to her and she could see Reggie become physically insecure when Betty would mention her accomplishments. She didn’t like it one bit. “It was more than a casual look. It was a gaze that happened too often to be accidental.”

 

Betty simply nodded, “Well, that’s interesting.”   
  
“Look, I’m not saying you should cheat on Reggie or anything. I just think you should reconnect and catch up with an old friend.” Val gently pushed as she fixed her hair in a mirror near them. 

 

Betty nodded and nervously played with the necklace that hung around her neck, “Well… I guess we should get out there then.” She took a second look at herself in the mirror. Her reflection showed a slim-waisted girl whose silky hair was beautifully braided along the side of her head into a ballet bun that Veronica had crafted and bobbypinned herself. Her slim fitting dress curved her body perfectly and teased enough of her décolletage to make any man's mind wander. While the ebony fabric stopped at the middle of her thigh, her long legs were accentuated by a pair of nude heels. She had a subtle hint of brown and gold blended perfectly on her eyelids while her mascaras were painted black, long, and seemingly perfect. The usual pink of her lips was masked by a red stain that lightly painted her plump lips. The contrast of colors complimented the bold green of her eyes. Her nails were a beige nude with a silver gem at the corner of both ring fingers. 

 

“Don’t doubt yourself. Be confident and have fun tonight.” Val assured her before leaving the room and heading up to the roof of her building where the party was being held, Betty soon followed after touching up her make-up. Chic and Val had been lucky to discover that their apartment rented off their renovated rooftop to parties and celebrations and booked it for their rehearsal dinner. Betty, Veronica, and the gang had worked hard to string lights up the pergola that covered the entire roof. There was a small bundle of balloons on each of the circular tables along with flower petals scattered across each tablecloth. There were two different long tables on opposite sides of the room. The one closest to Betty was filled with various food dishes, the main course being pizza. 

 

The party had begun half an hour ago and the turnout was looking great. Chic and Val were busy making their rounds and talking with every guest while Veronica enjoyed her second glass of champagne and ran around with her clipboard in hand to make sure the party continued to go exactly to plan. Betty scanned the crowd and she spotted Jughead. He was on the other side of the roof near a long table decorated with various spirits, liquor, and a few large kegs, where he laughed alongside with a group of his friends.  He looked like sex. He wore a simple white button down shirt that was tucked into a dark pair of dress pants. He had strategically unbuttoned a few buttons to expose some of his olive chest. Betty gnawed on her lip as he ran his hand through his purposefully messy hair. As she blatantly checked him out he turned his head and caught her staring. They kept their eyes locked for what felt like minutes until he smirked at her and winked. Her face immediately turned red then she broke away and quickly turned her back to him and looked for a conversation to join. Suddenly her hands were clammy and she felt like a schoolgirl with a crush. She took a deep breath and swallowed her nerves, as she turned around to walk back to him, he was behind her about to tap her shoulder.

 

He had a cup of beer in each hand, “You look like you could use a drink.” 

 

“What gave it away?” she asked with a smile as she accepted the drink. Her hand carefully gripped the clear plastic of the cup as she absentmindedly drew patterns on it’s side.

 

Jughead gestured to her shapes, recognizing the nervous habit from years ago, “Old habits die hard. Plus, when I caught you staring at me you got super flustered and red. I figured you could use something to help you loosen up a little.”

 

Betty felt her cheeks heat up once again, “I-I was not staring!”

 

He smirked, “Or admiring from afar, whatever you call it.”

 

Her mouth dropped, “Well, I heard you were staring at me earlier today when I was setting up so that makes us even.”

 

“Oh, so you don’t like me staring at you that way?” His flirty banter had seemed to spark something that she couldn’t extinguish. 

 

She raised an eyebrow, “It depends on the way you were staring.”

 

“Like you are beautiful and wishing you were mine.” He simply stated while watching her face for a reaction. His eyes were filled with an innocent want. Yes, he wanted to take her to bed, but more than anything he wanted to hold her in his arms like he did the last night they spent together. He noticed her face soften and saw her try to play off that she wasn’t wanting the same thing.

 

“No, you can’t look at me like that, not when I have a boyfriend.” She informed him, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.

 

Jughead nodded, “Hm, that makes sense.” A sly smile grew on his face as he continued, “Well, I’m not seeing anyone right now, so you can stare at me for as long as you’d like. I won’t hold it against you.” 

 

A switch flipped and suddenly all of her nerves were gone. Her confidence began to bubble up inside of her, “Oh, so you’re single?” She leaned her back against a brick wall and looked up at him. She forgot how tall he was in comparison to her. Even in heels, he was still half a head taller than her.

 

“Yeah, I realized I wasn’t a fan of brunettes.” His tongue casually darted out and moistened his bottom lip as his face studied hers, “Apparently, I have a real thing for blondes.”

 

She laughed, “That was smooth.” She took a sip of her beer, “You were always a ladies man, seems like nothing has changed.” 

 

Jughead grinned, “I haven’t dated much in the past few years. Almost like I was stuck on someone.” He gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear. His touch lit a path of fire across her skin.

 

Betty looked around to see if anyone would have heard him and shook her head as she smiled, “How are you so ballsy? Are you drunk?”

 

He laughed and shook his head, “Not even close. I just haven’t seen you in a while and after our awkward encounter this morning, I wanted to clear the air.”

 

“This is you clearing the air?” She chuckled incredulously. The air between them was basically tantric.

 

He shrugged and took a long drink of his beer and leaned in a little, “I mean, we have to walk down the aisle, side by side. I figured talking to you and catching up could make it a little better.”

 

Betty blushed and stepped away from the wall, but their distance didn’t seem to change, “Yeah, it really does.” She looked up at him, “It’s nice talking to you again after all of this time… I missed this.”

 

“Our friendship or our relationship?” he asked. He was close enough that Betty could feel his breath and smell the slightest hint of beer on it. She hadn’t realized that she was holding her breath until she felt her lungs screaming for breath while the rest of her body screamed for him. She knew she shouldn’t be wanting him this way. 

 

For a second, Betty hesitated on giving him an answer or changing the topic completely. After not seeing the love of her teenage life for three years, here he was in front of her. They were laughing, talking, and enjoying themselves. Almost like no time had passed. She felt a real connection with this man, a connection she had never felt with anyone else. As his piercing eyes bore into hers she realized that she still loved him. That the connection wasn’t a fantasy her nostalgia had created for her. What they had was real and she could feel it. Her toes were tingling and her heart was racing. Her palms were sweating and her ears were ringing as he waited for an answer. 

 

Betty bit her lip for a moment and decided to be honest. She opened her mouth but was cut off by arms wrapping around her waist and swinging her around. Betty squealed and laughed, thinking it was Chic, but once she was back on her feet and faced the man she thought was her brother, she realized it wasn’t. 

 

She tried her best not to drop her smile, but her tone wasn’t true happiness, “Reggie?”

 

Her boyfriend planted a wet kiss on her lips, “Surprise, baby!” He brought her in for a hug while Jughead studied the bottom of his cup from the sidelines. “I know how important this wedding was to you, so I figured I could take work off this weekend.” He looked at her up and down, “God, you look amazing. I can’t wait to get this dress off of you.” Betty smacked his shoulder and sent him a glare.

 

Betty’s smile was tight-lipped, “Keep those thoughts to yourself, Reg.” She apologetically glanced over at Jughead, “Uh, Jug this is my boyfriend Reggie. Reggie, this is, um, my brothers best friend, Jughead.”

 

Reggie turned around and immediately sized him up, “Jug-head? That’s a weird name, dude.” He offered his hand, “I’m Reggie.”

 

“Reggie? That’s a stereotypical dickhead jock name, dude.” Jughead mimicked as he shook his hand while Betty almost choked on her beer at his response.

 

Reggie laughed, thinking Jughead’s cynicism was a joke, “You’re hilarious. What do you do for a living?”

 

“I’m a Physical Therapist. I graduated last year.” Jughead was obviously trying to find a way out of the conversation as he watched Reggie wrap his arm around Betty’s waist and pulled her into his side. Betty looked embarrassed and avoided Jughead’s eyes.

 

He nodded, faux listening, “Well, Jughead that’s awesome. I’m a marketing manager over in New York.”

 

Jughead nodded with a dull tone, “Cool. Well, my date keeps looking over at me so I better make my way over.”

 

Betty looked at him confused and broke away from Reggie’s grip to grabbed Jughead’s arm as he walked away and turned him back to her, “Date? I thought you came alone?”

 

He shrugged emotionless, “I just found myself one.” He made his way over to a friend of Val’s, Sabrina. Sabrina had long blonde curly hair that fell to the middle of her back. She had freckles sprinkling her face and doe eyes that could easily get away with murder. She wore a short leather skirt with thigh high boots and a loose, see-through t-shirt that was tucked into her skirt. Sabrina's eyes immediately lit up at the sight of Jughead as he appeared by her side. Quickly, she took his hand and led him out to the dance floor. She pulled him close and Betty watched in horror as they began grinding in time with the loud bass that came through the DJ’s speakers.

 

“I can’t see you hanging out with a kid like that growing up.” Reggie interrupted her thoughts. “His personality seemed to fit with his name.”

 

She ignored him. Betty looked up at Reggie and noticed how differently she felt when looking at him compared to Jughead. She had never, once, felt a spark when they kissed. She had always figured they would eventually come, but after a few months, she still hadn’t found them. Betty wasn’t excited to hear about Reggie’s day or his thoughts on various issues, because deep down she knew she didn’t truly care about him. She inwardly sighed, knowing she had to break up with him, but unsure as to when. If she did it before the wedding it could draw attention away from Chic and Val and their special day, but if she waited until after then it may be too late for she and Jughead. 

 

From across the roof, Val gently nudged Chic, “Looks like Reggie showed up.” The two had been innocently watching Bettys interactions with Jughead earlier. It had made Val excited to see the two flirt and it had made her even more excited to see Chic’s eyes soften whenever Jughead made Betty laugh.

 

Chic looked over, “Oh, really?” His nose scrunched when he saw them talking, “Why does she look miserable? Seriously, she looks really unhappy… A total change in mood compared to when she was with Jughead.” Suddenly Betty excused herself and walked away from Reggie and seemed to disappear, leaving him to talk to a less than thrilled Veronica and an enthusiastic Alice Cooper. Chic watched as Jughead debated on following Betty or staying with Sabrina. Ultimately he stayed with Sabrina but glanced over at the door as he waited for her to come back. The sun was beginning to set and the sky looked beautiful, he hoped Betty wouldn’t miss it. She had always loved sunsets.

 

After a few minutes had passed, Betty still hadn’t come back, “I’m going to go find Betty.”

 

Val smiled faintly and nodded, “Okay, that sounds like a good idea.”

 

Chic knew Jughead and Betty had been flirting earlier. Originally, he had gotten upset at the fact that his best friend was obviously hitting on his little sister, but his mood changed immediately when he saw Betty’s laugh. Her head was thrown back and she was leaning against the wall for support and her eyes shone as she looked up with him. Jugheads smile was genuine and pure in nature. Their energies blended together perfectly, making even Chic jealous of their natural chemistry. That was when the anger disappeared and was replaced with guilt. He realized that he held his little sister and best friend back from happiness and being with their soulmate. He ran around and checked the restrooms on the roof and found both of them empty, so he headed down to his apartment and found Betty in her room pacing. “Hey, kid. What’s going on?”

 

Betty stopped pacing and looked at him and anxiously smiled, “Oh, hey Chic. Don’t worry about me! Go back to your party and celebrate.”

 

He shook his head, “You’re a wreck, I can’t leave you like this.” He noticed a smudge of mascara under her eyes. “Do you want to talk to me?”

 

Betty sniffled as she tried to contain her tears, “I don’t love Reggie. I don’t want to be with him, Chic.”

 

Chic nodded and pulled her in for a long hug as she began to cry into his chest, “I know you don’t, Betty.”

 

Betty hiccuped and muffled into his chest, “You do?”

 

He nodded, “You never looked at him like you were.” He paused, “But do you know who you look at like you love them?”

 

She shook her head and whispered, “Don’t say it.”

 

“Jughead.” He smiled a little, “I watched you two talking and I haven’t seen him smile that wide in a while. Your laughs were genuine and the sparks were obvious. I was so oblivious and I’m sorry that I deprived you two of that kind of love.” Emotion began to fill his voice, “You two deserve each other and I was selfish and took you two away from one another.”

 

Betty looked at him as a tear escaped his eyes and her bottom lip trembled, “Chic… it’s okay. It sucked and it broke my heart, but I forgive you.”

 

“When did you know you loved him?”

 

“The day we broke up.” Her voice cracked.

 

He looked at her confused and they sat on the bed, “Really?”

 

She nodded, “Well, it was probably little things along the way. Like he’d make sure to bring my first aid kit along with us on hikes and he’d make sure that my inhaler was in it just in case I had an asthma attack.” A smile began to spread across her face as Chic intently listened, “It was the little touches, his hand in mine… the way he would insist on doing puzzles on rainy days because he knew how much I loved them.” She smiled as she thought back, “But it was the night we broke up where my heart just burst around him. You were downstairs and he snuck into the house through my window-”

 

Chic laughed as he listened, “Wait, he climbed up the side of our house?!”

 

Betty giggled and nodded, “Yeah, he did... I was having a panic attack that night and he climbed in and scooped me up in his arms and helped me through it. We sat in my window and watched the sunset. It was the first time I had seen him cry and that was when I knew I loved him and he loved me.” Her voice wavered, “I remember us talking until the sunset and saying that maybe fate had a plan for us and that we would come back to each other in the end.” Betty noticed Chic was quiet and when she looked at him he was crying.

 

He looked into her eyes, “Break up with Reggie and go to Jughead.” He smiled slightly, “You deserve Jughead and he deserves you.”

 

She smiled wide and sat up straight, “Wait, really? Chic please tell me you’re not kidding, this would be a cruel joke.”

 

Chic laughed and wiped his cheeks of tears, “I wouldn’t do that to you. Now go and break up with that douche bag and get back together with my best friend!” They both stood up, “But you should probably wash your face, your makeup is all over the place.”

 

Betty laughed, “I will.” 

 

Chic smiled, “Good luck tonight, let me know how it goes.” He began to walk out, “Oh, if you spend the night with him please use protection. I’m not ready to be an uncle yet.”

 

Betty scrunched her nose and threw a pillow at him, “Stop it!” 

 

His laugh echoed as he closed the door and left Betty alone. She blissfully threw herself back into her pillows and felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She couldn’t believe this was finally happening. Betty got out of bed and looked at herself one last time in the mirror and smiled to herself. Fate had had a plan for them all along and it was finally coming together.

 

***

 

Veronica had listened to Reggie drunkenly kiss-up to Mrs. Cooper for a long time and she was pretty sure she was ready to strangle him. His demeanor was cocky. His tone was condescending. His words were slurred. He was the biggest jackass she had met, and she had met many. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when Betty walked over after disappearing for a good forty-five minutes. 

 

Veronicas smiled was to her ears, “B! Where did you run off to? Everyone left, you missed the cake!”

 

“I’m going to have to tell you later.” She turned to Reggie, “Hey, Reggie, could we talk for a moment?”

 

Reggie smirked, “Of course, baby.” Betty tried not to roll her eyes, “Let’s go back to the apartment.”

 

Betty shook her head, “No, it’s alright we can just talk in the hallway.” She took him to the stairway, “We need to talk.”

 

Reggie shook his head, “No words, let’s make this quick before someone walks over,” He leaned in to kiss her, but Betty immediately pushed him away and he stumbled back.

 

“Reg, like I need to talk to you! This isn’t some quickie. I’m breaking up with you.” She exclaimed while crossing her hands across her chest.

 

Reggie stood there in shock, suddenly sober, “What do you mean you’re breaking up with me?” 

 

Betty sighed, the harsh words caught in her throat, “I… I don’t love you.” 

 

He cleared his throat and stood up straighter, “You don’t love me?” He shook his head, “No, that’s impossible. You do love me, I mean, I have a ring picked out for you- You must be confused…”

 

Betty looked taken aback, “No, I know my feelings. I’m sorry, Reg.”

 

Anger flashed in his eyes, “What do you feel then?! What are your feelings?! I deserve an explanation, Betty!”

 

“I don’t want to hurt your feelings,” Betty softly said, obviously feeling guilty.

 

“They’re already hurt. I want to know, Betty,” he fumed, his patience running low.

 

“I’m in love with someone else, okay?!” she exclaimed, “Are you even happy with me? We bicker all the time. Our sex-” she chuckled while shaking her head, “- is awful because we have no chemistry.” She shrugged, “We don’t make each other better… together, we stay the same.”

 

Reggie looked down, hurt. “I’m sorry you feel that way.” He bit his lip and after a moment looked at her, “Can I ask who it is?”

 

Betty frowned, hesitant. “It’s Jughead,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Reg.”

 

He shook his head and cleared his throat. “Don’t apologize. I could tell when I walked over earlier. You two… just had something special that we didn’t.” After a moment, he simply nodded to himself and said his goodbyes before taking the elevator down and leaving her alone in the stairwell.

 

“So… you still love me?” Jughead’s voice echoed from the stairs below her.

 

Betty almost jumped out of her skin, “Jesus Christ, Jughead! You can’t sneak up on people like that!” She leaned over the railing and found him just a few steps away. 

 

A wicked smile spread across his lips as he laughed, “Sorry, babe.” He winked.

 

Betty rolled her eyes and shyly smiled, “So… did you hear all of that?”

 

Jughead nodded and walked up the stairs so he was only a step below her, “I did. Is it true that you still love me?” He swallowed hard and he stared into her eyes, “Because, Betts, I still love you.”

 

Betty grinned and reach out so her hands could cup the back of his neck and bring him closer, “It’s you, Jug. It’s always been you. I tried to replace you, but… it’s impossible. You showed me love in ways no man has before and I don’t want to settle for anything less.”

 

He captured his bottom lip between his teeth as she confessed to him, “But Chic-“

 

She shook her head, “He’s not a problem anymore.”

 

Jughead chuckled and shook his head, “From your choice of words it sounds like you murdered him.”

 

She laughed and her cheeks blushed, “No! He and I talked and we have his blessing.” She glanced at his lips. “He just wants us to be happy.”

 

Jughead’s hand cupped her cheek as he admired her beauty and a smile spread across his face as he realized she could finally be his. His thumb gently caressed her cheekbone as he leaned in and connected their lips. As if no time had passed between them, their lips moved in time with each other. 

 

Betty’s eyes fluttered closed and she pulled him to her chest while her hands slid from the back of his neck to his hair. Her fingers intertwined themselves in his locks of hair while one of his hands stayed firmly on her hip and the other softly on her cheek. He pulled away and their lips lingered over one another’s for a moment. They didn’t move and embraced the overwhelming warmth of each other. His eyes opened and he gazed into hers, “I’m yours.”

 

She smiled happily and gently kissed him, “And I’m yours.”

 

Jugheads grin grew with pride, “Stay at my place tonight.”

 

She giggled and shook her head, “Jug, I have to get some sleep, the wedding is tomorrow and we both have so much to do.” 

 

“Baby, I’ll make it worth it,” he promised while taking her hand in his and playfully wiggling his eyebrows.

 

Her eyebrow quirked in mischief as her free hand traveled across his exposed collarbone and dipped under the unbuttoned portion of his shirt, “Mmm, how so?”

 

Jughead happily hummed, “I’ll order a pizza, we can watch movies, and fool around?”

 

Betty jokingly bit her lip and fanned herself, “Tell me… what kind of pizza?”

 

Jughead leaned in and whispered in her ear as an act of faux seduction, “Double cheese with pepperoni,” He jokingly nibbled on her earlobe, “And bacon.”

 

Betty moaned, “Oh, my god, I love you.”

 

Jughead laughed, “I love you too.” He pecked her lips hopefully, “So, is that a yes to tonight?”

 

Betty grinned, “I guess you’ll have to wait and see if I show up,” She teasingly leaned in close to his lips, “And what I’ll show up wearing… or not wearing.”

 

Jughead playfully groaned, “Don’t tease, it’s not nice!”

 

Betty laughed, “I gotta keep the relationship fresh somehow!”

 

He burst out laughing, “It’s barely begun!”

 

She smiled, “Yes, but we have a long road ahead of us, don’t ya think?”

 

Jughead grinned and kissed her forehead, “Oh, trust me, baby, I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all liked this little piece! I would like to specially thank @jandjsalmon who has been my beta for almost a year now! Leave a comment, like, or follow me on tumblr @xxbettysgirlxx <3


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